Some stimuli, including specific foods, seem to have enough particularities to make a difference even if their potential to exert an influence a priori appears to be limited. This is the case of yogurt whose consumption is low relative to the amount of daily food consumed but that has been shown to be independently related to reduced body weight and fat. Numerous factors may explain a beneficial effect of yogurt on body weight stability and metabolic fitness. Cohort studies show that the consumption of dairy including yogurt is related to a reduced intake of high fat-high sugar foods, suggesting that the benefits of dairy food may be due to a decrease in the potential negative effects of unhealthy eating. The ability of yogurt to promote a negative energy balance is also likely explained by the satiating and thermogenic effects of some of its nutrients, e.g. calcium and proteins, via mechanisms involving gut hormones. Yogurt has a matrix that can accommodate structural changes affecting energy intake independently of its nutrient content. For instance, we recently demonstrated that the increase in the whey/casein ratio in a yogurt matched for volume and energy and protein content as a control yogurt significantly decreased subsequent energy intake to a much greater extent than the energy content of the yogurt preload. The presence of bacteria in yogurt represents another factor that may explain the effects of yogurt consumption on energy balance and its components. In this regard, recent data suggest that the supplementation of some probiotics facilitates appetite control and accentuates body weight loss in the context of a weight-reducing program. Finally, our recent analyses of relevant data in the Quebec Family Study reveal that yogurt consumption may be the signature of a global healthy lifestyle and food-related personal profile. Female yogurt consumers are more physically active, report a reduced percent energy intake as fat and display a lower disinhibition score than non-yogurt consumers. Taken together, yogurt has numerous features that may globally explain the decreased proneness of yogurt consumers towards excess body fat.

1. Potential mechanisms underlying the
yogurt-body weight relationship
Angelo Tremblay
Department of Kinesiology
Laval University
Quebec, Canada

2. Disclosures for
Angelo Tremblay
AFFILIATION/FINANCIAL
INTERESTS
(past 12 months)
CORPORATE
ORGANIZATION
Grants/Research Support:
Scientific Advisory
Board/Consultant:
Danone Research
General Mills
Pfizer
Speakers Bureau:
Stock Shareholder:
Other

3. From Mozaffarian et al. N Engl J Med 2011; 364:2392-2404

4. Why does yogurt seem to promote a
reduced body weight despite its rather low
amount in the overall dietary intake?

5. 1. Yogurt consumption: the signature of a
healthy lifestyle
Hypothesis:
Yogurt consumption favors the replacement
of less healthy foods and is related to
behaviors preventing a positive
energy balance.

6. Longitudinal calcium intake and
body fat in children
 Dietary calcium intake was negatively
related to percent body fat.
 Consumption of carbonated beverages
and other sweetened beverages were
negatively related to calcium intake.
Adapted from Skinner et al. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 2003; 103, 1626-31.

7. 2. Yogurt and appetite control: a specific
effect of some of its nutrients
Hypothesis:
Some nutrients of yogurt, e.g. calcium and
protein, can modify appetite and
energy intake.

8. 1. Calcium contributes to many physiological functions in
vertebrates that have been implicated in most of the major
chronic diseases.
2. Humans are remarkably inconsistent in describing calcium
taste and high concentrations of the mineral are
unpleasant to them.
3. In animals, calcium deficiency favors a preferential
calcium intake when the opportunity is given.
4. Vitamin D deficiency can also induce calcium appetite.
5. A “low” human calcium intake considered by nutritionists
is rarely as low as those used in animal studies.
Calcium and appetite:
some relevant observations
Adapted from Tordoff MG, Physiol. Rev. 81: 1567-97, 2001.

9. Effect of a dairy- and calcium-rich diet on weight
loss and appetite during energy restriction in
overweight and obese adults: a randomized trial
KW Jones, LK Eller, JA Parnell, PK Doyle-Baker,
AL Edwards, RA Reimer
EJCN 67: 371-76, 2013
Subjects: low Ca consumers: < 700 mg/day at baseline
Diet restriction: 500 kcal/day for 2 weeks
Treatment:
• low dairy (1 serving/day), Ca = 736 mg/day
• high dairy (3-4 servings /day), Ca = 1,400 mg /day

10. Jones et al. EJCN 371-76, 2013

11. Mean change in body weight, fat mass, and ad libitum lipid
intake (test meal) in very low calcium obese consumers
in response to diet restriction with or without
calcium + vitamin D supplementation
Mean change in: Calcium + vitamin D Control
Body weight (kg) -5.8 -1.4*
Fat mass (kg) -4.7 -1.2*
Lipid intake (g) -18.2 7.5*
* P < 0.05
Adapted from Major G et al. Br J Nutr 102: 659-663, 2009.

12. Effect of pre-meal whey protein on mean ad libitum energy
intake at test meal and cumulative energy intake
(preload + test meal)
Whey protein
preload*
Energy intake (kcal)
Test meal Cumulative
Control (water) 1142a 1142
10 g 1064ab 1115
20 g 989b 1091
30 g 983b 1136
40 g 837c 1041
* All preloads were isovolumetric (300 ml)
Values in the same column with different superscripts are significantly
different, p < 0.0001
Adapted from Akhavan T et al. AJCN 91: 966-75, 2010

13. An afternoon snack of high-pro yogurt, led to reduced hunger,
increased fullness and delayed subsequent eating compared to
lower protein snacks in healthy women...
Adapted from Ortinau, et al. Nutrition Journal 2014, 13:97

14. 3. The yogurt food matrix: effect of food
structure independently of
nutrient content
Hypothesis:
Variations in the food structure of yogurt,
independently of its nutrient content, can
change energy intake

15. Experimental design
Breakfast Yogurt (Y) Buffet-type meal
Time 8 10 12
VAS VAS
Energy
intake
Y1: r = 1.5:1
Y2: r = 2.8:1 + inulin (2% x 120 g)
Y3: control, r = 2.8:1
Y4: r = 2.8:1 + inulin (1.6%) = βglucan (0.4%)
Y5: r = 2.8:1 + βglucan (0.4%)
r = casein/whey protein ratio. r in milk = 4.5:1

16. Mean spontaneous energy intake and appetite
sensations following yogurt consumption
Condition Energy
intake (kcal)
Hunger
(mm x min)
PFC
(mm x min)
Appreciation
(mm)
Y1
(high whey)
1216* 1422 1031 87
Y2
(high fiber)
1255 1158 1057 91
Y3 (control) 1410 1785 1573 82
Y4
(high fiber)
1264 2305 2281 101*
Y5
(low fiber)
1303 988 1087 87
* Significant differences of relevant interest, p < 0.05
Adapted from Doyon C et al., Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. (in press)

17. The reducing effect of yogurt on subsequent
energy intake may exceed its energy content:
the case of Y1
kcal
 Energy content of Y1 63
 Decrease in subsequent 194
energy intake versus control
Difference 131
Adapted from Doyon C et al., Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. (in press)

18. 4. Yogurt and gut microbiota: a connection
that can also affect energy balance
Hypothesis:
Yogurt contains and can be supplemented
in microorganisms that favor a facilitation of
appetite control and a decrease in
body weight.

19. Variations in relative abundance of bacterial species
in gut microbiota associated with obesity
 Bacteroidetes
 Firmicutes
From Ley et al. PNAS 102: 11070-5, 2005

20. Relative abondance (%) of Lachnospiraceae
during 24 weeks in obese individuals
Placebo and Probiotic group, at week 0, week 12 and week 24. Data
represent median ± SE median. Statistically difference values from placebo are
indicated as ** ( p<0.01).
From Sanchez et al., Br. J. Nutr. 2013

21. Mean body weight/fat/energy loss in obese women
subjected to 12-week dietary restriction with or without
probiotic supplementation1
Supplementation Placebo
body weight (kg) - 4.4* - 2.6
fat mass (kg) - 3.75* - 2.55
body energy (kcal/d) - 421* - 283
* Significant difference between groups, p < 0.05
1 Lactobacillus rhomnosus CGMCCI.3724
From Sanchez et al. Br. J. Nutr. (2013)

22. ( n = 21, mean ± SEM). Differences between placebo and high dose treatment and between low dose
and high dose treatment (*P < 0.05). Men: difference between placebo and high dose (*P < 0.05).
From Bjerg AT et al. Appetite 82: 111-118, 2014
Ad libitum energy intake 4 hours after intake of placebo, low dose or
high dose probiotic capsule

23. 5. Addition of sugar to yogurt: a
deterioration of the profile of yogurt?
Hypothesis:
The addition of sugar to yogurt increases its
palatability without changing its effects on
energy intake and glycemia.

24. Palatability, post-meal blood glucose and subsequent
energy intake after consumption of different yogurts.
0
20
40
60
80
100
Palatability
mm
Plain yogurt
Plain yogurt with honey
Strawberry yogurt
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
Post-meal Blood Glucose
Changefrombaseline(mmol/L)
0.0
500.0
1,000.0
1,500.0
Energy Intake
kcal
*
El khoury et al. Clin Nutr 2014

25. Potential mechanisms underlying the
yogurt – body weight relationship:
VIA
Related behaviors
Yogurt nutrients
Yogurt structure
Gut microbiotav